Can Cats Eat Wheatgrass? What You Need to Know

It’s shocking when you see a cat chowing down on the wheatgrass. Cats aren’t known vegetarians which make it a mystery seeing them eating grass.

The sight is like seeing a lion munching on grass. It isn’t an everyday occurrence.

Which begs the question, why do cats eat grass, and why do they seem to enjoy wheatgrass? Are there some nutritional values they get when they eat greens?

The whole scenario of cats and why they eat grass can be confusing. This article looks to break down why cats eat wheatgrass and how it benefits them.

What is Wheatgrass, and What’s in it?

Wheatgrass has some relation to wheat, as it is the young shoot of a wheat plant. And due to the germination process, it has several nutrients. They are full of chlorophyll, vitamins, and minerals, which are beneficial to cats.

How Much Wheatgrass Should a Cat Consume?

Generally, cats aren’t wired in a way that they can consume a lot of greens. They don’t have enzymes that allow the digestion of greens. But they can consume wheatgrass in small portions.

Cats enjoy wheatgrass for some speculative physical and mental reasons. There’s no proof yet, so stick to the idea that cats don’t have enzymes to break down greens — they are carnivorous. And can’t consume too many greens.

How often Should I Feed Wheatgrass to My Cat?

Cats can consume small volumes of wheatgrass every day. You can make it part of the cat’s daily meal program. Ensure you limit the amount the cat consumes to only a few sprouts.

Also, ensure that there aren’t some toxic matters on the wheatgrass when the cat eats. There are some advantages for the cat when they eat wheatgrass.

Advantages of Feeding My Cat with Wheatgrass

Both physically and mentally, your cat can use a few portions of wheatgrass. Here are some of the reasons:

· Boost Immune System

As you’ve already seen, there are a lot of nutrients that wheatgrass carries. They are suitable for the cat’s immune system and help the cat can fight off certain infections. This saves you trips to the vet.

· Weight loss

When you want your lazy and chubby cat to shed off some weight, it’s a difficult task. But it’s possible when the cat snacks on some wheatgrass.

Wheatgrass offers your cat all the nutrients it needs and has few calories. The cat is then satisfied, to your joy, and won't have as much food during mealtime.

· Stimulation

Cats are generally playful and active, so having a cat sit in and stuck in the house can bore it. Your cat needs to have some interactions from time to time.

Add wheatgrass to the cat’s meal to ensure it isn’t used to the same routine. Wheatgrass can stimulate the mental state of the cat somewhat.

· Dental Health

How often do you worry about your cat’s dental health? It becomes even less when you add wheatgrass to its meal.

Your cat’s oral health and gums improve when it has a consistent intake of wheatgrass. It also reduces decay in a cat’s teeth.

· Slows Down the Aging Process

Chlorophyll is one of the nutrients in wheatgrass, and it is a proven blood booster. It is also known to slow down the aging process. Your cat will not only generate potent blood, but it will also look younger.

· Night Vision

Wheatgrass improves night vision as it rich in Vitamin A.

· Helps with Kidney Disease

Wheatgrass can help your cat with its troubles if it has kidney disease. You need to, however, consult a vet before making any significant move on wheatgrass.

Should I Be Fearful of Wheatgrass?

As much as cats have advantages from consuming wheatgrass, there are disadvantages.

· Green Plants Can Be Toxic

As stated before, cats aren’t designed to consume veggies. You should thus limit their intake of the same.

You need to be aware should the cat’s sudden intake of wheatgrass goes up. It can be harmful as cats can’t discern between other green plants and wheatgrass if they’re near.

The other plants may be harmful to cats.

· Increased Vomiting and Pooping

Gastric disorders among cats are generally related to wheatgrass. No matter the breed or age of the feline. The cat may experience an increase in vomiting after eating wheatgrass.

There’s also bound to be some increase in pooping and diarrhea at times. Dehydration follows, which leaves your kitty tired and weary, which isn’t a pleasant sight for any pet parent.

What about Gluten Intolerance?

Contrary to common belief, wheatgrass doesn’t contain gluten in its core structure. There’s no cause for alarm, no matter how often you feed it to your cat.

Another fear is food intolerances. Wheatgrass can’t cause your cat to experience other food intolerances. There’s no gluten factor with wheatgrass; the cat is safe.

How Should I Feed My Cat Wheatgrass?

There isn’t a designed formula used to feed your cat wheatgrass. You can serve it raw after you pluck it. You can also opt to juice it for the cat.

Be careful when you juice though, your cat may find it a bit turdy to take. Sprout out a few and feed your cat with those.

Can My Cat Eat Other Grass?

Cats can nibble on almost any other grass out there, including lawn grass. But they love wheatgrass, and it is safe for them.

Any Difference Between Wheatgrass and Cat Grass?

Wheatgrass is one type of cat grass, and there are a few. These are the types of grass that your cat can feed on. Of them all, wheatgrass is the safest and the one with the most nutritional value for your cat.

The other types of cat grass include barley, bluegrass, flax, oat, etc.

What Kind of Cats Can Eat Wheatgrass?

All types of cats can consume wheatgrass regardless of age and breed. If you’re worried about kittens eating wheatgrass, you shouldn’t be. It is safe for them too.

Diabetic cats, too, can eat wheatgrass. They don’t have a lot of carbohydrates, and your diabetic cat should be comfortable with them.

And though all cats can consume wheatgrass, you shouldn’t go all out with it. Don’t overfeed your cat with it; it can upset the cat’s stomach — especially the diabetic cat.

Conclusion

Wheatgrass is generally good for cats and can save you trips to the vet. But you need to monitor how much of the grass your cat consumes to be on the safe side.